STOVER -- The Morgan County R-1 School District will receive a grant from the federal government to purchase a "clean school bus."
Morgan County R-1 joins 25 other Missouri school districts that earned a total of $21.8 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program for the purchase of 56 zero-emission or low-emission buses, according to a news release.
The buses are intended to reduce pollution and save districts money, while also driving a demand for American-made vehicles and manufacturing, according to the news release.
Morgan County R-1 obtained $395,000 to purchase one bus and can now begin the purchase process for a bus and needed infrastructure.
The EPA initially announced the nationwide grant program in May and made available $500 million, but after "overwhelming demand," almost doubled the amount to $965 million. Districts that served low-income, rural and tribal communities were prioritized.
The agency approved 389 applications, which will result in the purchase of almost 2,500 buses, 95 percent of which will be electric. Some applications are still under review. The EPA plans to open another $1 billion in funding for buses in 2023.